Chronicles of coaching American football in Italy (2008, 2009 & 2018), in Sweden (2010, 2016 & 2017), in Switzerland (2012), winning a Division III National Championship in France (2012-13), in Spain (2015 & 2016) and in Mexico (2017) as well as walking the Camino de Santiago in August-September of 2010.

About Me

I have been married to Laurie for over 46 years. Our oldest son, Andy, lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife Jenn and their son Kevin. Our youngest son Mike lives in Oxnard, California with his wife Vanessa and their kids Jacob and Mary. Although I retired from teaching in June of 2007, the 2015 football season marked my 45th year of coaching football at five high schools in Southern California's Ventura County - Thousand Oaks, Westlake, Rio Mesa, Buena and Newbury Park. In 2008, I opted to try something totally different in my coaching career and started coaching in Europe. My EuroBall stops have been in Catania, Sicily in 2008 & '09, Hässleholm, Sweden in 2010, Thun, Switzerland in 2012, Lyon, France in 2012-13 with the 12-0 National Champion Bron-Villeurbanne Falcons, Murcia, Spain in 2015, Rivas, Spain in 2016, Upplands-Väsby, Sweden in the Spring of 2016 & '17, in Mexico to coach the Europe Warriors in Aug. & Dec. 2017 and now in 2018 in Varese, Italy. Join me as I explore and chronicle my newest adventures coaching American football in Europe. My European touring also included a 500 mile Pilgrimage Walk on the Camino de Santiago in Spain in 2010.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Kristianstadsdagarna 2010

Swedes often drink small glasses of schnapps as an accompaniment to their delicious herring, a.k.a., sill.

This week, in nearby Kristianstad, the 20th Annual Kristianstadsdagarna Festival is in full swing. We had been advised by more than one person that this was the place to be so we went.

It was also the excuse I needed to take my new Nikon D3000 out for its maiden voyage armed only with the copious notes that Jason Johnson had e-mailed me so that I at least knew how to turn it on.

Bananas and Ice Cream

A good food booth was our first sight in Kristianstad. Unfortunately, it was so hot today that eating was not a big part of people's plans today.

As near as I could tell, the heat also kept the crowds way down from the usual numbers for one of these town festivals on the opening weekend.

Weird Band

They played what I would say were traditional African music. Kenyan or Angolan perhaps, definitely not the rhythms of Chad or the Ivory Coast.

The weird part was that at anytime during their song that would rival "Inagaddadavida" for honors in the Longest Song Category, at least two members of the band were dancing in a basic, slow-motion break dancing style.

Weird . . .

Note the complete lack of people

at any of the food booths

I said it was hot!

Marzipan

More Fika!

(Swedish for dessert!)

It may be hot and no one else may want to eat, but I have a reputation to uphold!

Laurie wanted to have coffee and fika,

but I knew a better spot

This is an F-Stop Test

Laurie's face is in focus but the background is blurred. I've stumbled into the wonderful world of "Depth of Field."

Why does she look so intensely aware? Simple, she is listening to . . .

. . . ABBA II

A little rough in spots, but they were fun to listen to on a scorching day.

O.K., now we can stop

Laurie claims to have read that eating warm drinks is very good for you on a warm day.

I claim that eating fika is good any day!

"Two lattes and two fikas, please."

After looking after the nutritional needs of our bodies, we continued to check out the festival.

The Midway

Every festival needs a midway and a . . .

. . . Dragon

Teddy Ballgame, Jolting Joe

and The Babe

Tack så mycket, O'Leary's Sports Grill

An accordian seranade is always romantic!

Checking out the Nikon's color balance

Looks like you'll miss the house

by several meters

Tranquility

Today, this was a nice shady park

was perfect!

Once back home, it was time to watch the World Cup's third place game between Uruguay and Germany.

The Uruguay goalie delivering a

shot to the jaw of a German forward

In a wild one, Germany would prevail 3-2. The last play of the game featured a Uruguaian kick that hit the cross bar and caromed out away from the net and a possible overtime.

Spain and the Netherlands play for the Cup at 20:30 Sunday, Hässleholm Daylight Savings Time.